


Neal's Woes

by journeycat



Category: PIERCE Tamora - Works, Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: F/M, Older Man/Younger Woman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-12
Updated: 2015-09-12
Packaged: 2018-04-20 08:09:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4780073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/journeycat/pseuds/journeycat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neal never thought that friendship would come with so much baggage.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Neal's Woes

**Author's Note:**

> Written for SMACKDOWN: Team Raoul at Goldenlake in February 2010. I meant this as a parody but, sadly, it actually sums up my entire career as a fanfic writer rather well.

“You have a problem.”

“I don’t have a problem.”

Neal gave her one of his Looks. 

“You look like your father when you do that,” Kel told him.

He shuddered. “I’ve come to terms with the fact that you did...whatever you did with him,” he told her. “That doesn’t mean I want to hear anything about him from you.”

She said, straight-faced, “Of course. I didn’t mean to bring it up.”

Mollified, he continued, “Anyway, you definitely have a problem. Or some kind of fetish. I mean, look at the men in your life—”

“What are you trying to say?”

“I’m saying you suffer from some kind of...addiction.”

Kel burst into laughter. “That is probably the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever said in your life.”

Neal scowled. “It is not! Think about it. First Wyldon—to give you credit, though, at least you’ve upgraded since him—then Lindhall Reed, which I personally thought was the most peculiar thing you’ve ever done in your life, then Hakuin, Captain Flyndan Whiteford, that Qasim, my father, and now Raoul, your own knight-master!”

“Former knight-master,” she corrected. “I still don’t see your point.”

“Oh, you and your _semantics_. My point is, Kel, that you love old men!”

She was torn between fond exasperation and irritation. “I’m not going to argue about this,” she said, “because you’re just going to make up ridiculous ways to win.”

“I don’t have to make up anything to win!” Neal yelled after her.

Kel shook her head, thinking, _He is utterly ridiculous_. 

“Just stick with Raoul this time,” he said loudly. “You’re running out of victims—next thing I know you’ll be dallying with Alanna.”

She turned so that she was walking backwards, cocked an eyebrow at him, and said slyly, “Who says I didn’t?”


End file.
